Docking system for airport terminals

• US 20020030609A1
• Filed: 01/08/2001
• Published: 03/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ADB Airfield Solutions GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Schnathmann, Detlef, Baumgartner, Klaus, Link, Norbert, Brennfleck, Martin, Konerth, John
• Granted Patent: US 6,542,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/958
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/002 Taxiing aids

Abstract

A docking system for airport terminals has a docking station subsystem and a docking station for each gate. The docking station subsystem is connected via a communication network to a central working position. The docking station subsystem includes an airfield situation monitoring and processing segment ASMPS, at least one advisor and guidance display segment AGDS, a data and status handler segment DSHS having at least one video camera (9, 10) for each center line of the gate, and at least one ground operation panel segment GOPS. The docking station subsystem has an auxiliary subsystem connected to it, by which information relating to aircraft models and the gate can be entered in the docking station subsystem. A docking guidance system is connected to other systems of an airport and includes a docking guidance subsystem for each gate of the airport.

Claims

1. A docking system for guiding an aircraft to a parking position at a gate, comprising:

a video device that detects the aircraft and outputs detection data;

a data storage location that stores a plurality of template sets, each template set corresponding to one of a plurality of different aircraft types and including at least three stored profiles corresponding to the one aircraft type; and

an evaluation unit that receives the detection data, generates actual feature profiles from the detection data, and compares the actual feature profiles with the stored profiles, for each of the template sets, to produce an evaluation result.

2. The docking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each template set contains five stored profiles for each aircraft type.

3. The docking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the profiles include data relating to at least one of a template or an outline section corresponding to the one aircraft type.

4. The docking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the detection data includes data relating to at least one of a form of the aircraft and movement of the aircraft.

5. The docking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein trajectories of the actual feature profiles are used as a basis to determine the present position of the aircraft.

6. The docking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the video device is a monochrome camera.

7. The docking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the video device has an objective focal length of 16 mm.

8. The docking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the video device has an objective focal length of 25 mm.

9. The docking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the video device is approximately aligned with a center line of the gate.

10. The docking system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the video device is approximately aligned with the center line of the gate at a height of approximately 9 m.

11. The docking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein a sequence of individual gray tone images is read into the evaluation unit that are spatially filtered in order to extract gray tone edges, and that are filtered in the time domain in order to produce moving images used to produce a mask to define areas for subsequent segmentation.

12. The docking system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the evaluation unit comprises a Sobel filter to spatially filter the individual gray tone images, and to filter the gray tone images in the time domain.

13. A docking system for airport terminals as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a central working position;

a communication network; and

a docking station subsystem per gate connected via the communication network to the central working position;

the docking station subsystem having

an airfield situation monitoring and processing segment,

at least one advisor and guidance display segment,

a data and status handler segment having at least one video camera for each center line of the gate,

at least one gate operator panel segment, and

an auxiliary subsystem connected to the docking station subsystem to enter information relating to aircraft models and the gate into the docking station subsystem.

14. The docking system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the docking station subsystem comprises the advisor and guidance display segment for each center line of its gate.

15. The docking system as claimed in claim 13 wherein each of the advisor and guidance display segments has a microprocessor which controls display elements and converts display commands into displays.

16. The docking system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the data and status handler segment runs on the same hardware as the airfield situation monitoring and processing segment, which provides communication between the docking station subsystem DSS and the central working position via the communication network, and coordinates processes within the docking station subsystem.

17. The docking system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the data and status handler segment and the airfield situation monitoring and processing segment are arranged in one housing.

18. The docking system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the data and status handler segment and the airfield situation monitoring and processing segment run on a hardware basis comprising a PC motherboard and video signal processing equipment.

19. The docking system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the advisor and guidance display segment is also arranged in the housing.

20. The docking system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the docking station subsystem is designed such that the docking station subsystem allows the advisor and guidance displays to be transmitted to a screen in the cockpit of the aircraft.

21. The docking system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the airfield situation monitoring and processing segment is arranged in a housing together with the video camera.

22. The docking system as claimed in claim 21 wherein a digital signal processor is provided for transmission of data between the airfield situation monitoring and processing segment and the data and status handler segment.

23. The docking system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the auxiliary subsystem comprises:

an aircraft model output;

a gate installation planner;

a calibration unit; and

a validation and diagnosis tool.

24. The docking system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the communication network is a high-speed network using an asynchronous transmission mode ATM for transmitting originally digital signals and originally analog signals converted into digital signals.

25. The docking system as claimed in claim 24 wherein the digital signals are video signals.

26. The docking system as claimed in claim 24 wherein the ATM high-speed network comprises at least one network adapter in the form of a SICAN-ATMax 155-PM2.

27. The docking system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the docking station subsystem DSS is systematically broken down into a ground area monitoring and processing segment, a gate area control segment, a gate schedule segment and a gate data handler segment.

28. The docking system as claimed in claim 27 wherein the ground area monitoring and processing segment comprises an airfield monitor and an airfield situation processor connected by an interface to the gate schedule segment.

29. The docking system as claimed in claim 27 wherein the gate area control segment comprises:

an airfield ground lighting system;

an advisor and guidance display;

a ground operator panel;

a luxometer; and

a gate area processor which runs on a PC platform to which the airfield ground lighting system, the advisor and guidance display, the ground operator panel and the luxometer are connected, and which is connected by an interface to the gate schedule segment.

30. The docking system as claimed in claim 27 wherein the gate data handler segment comprises a calibration support and a static data handler, each of which being connected to the gate schedule segment by an interface and running on a PC platform.

31. The docking system as claimed in claim 27 wherein the gate schedule segment comprises a gate management and a watchdog.

32. Method of guiding an aircraft approaching a gate of an airport terminal to a parking position appropriate for the type of the aircraft, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting the aircraft by a video device;

(b) outputting detection data from the video device;

(c) storing a plurality of template sets in a data storage location wherein each template set corresponds to one of a plurality of different aircraft types, and includes at least three stored profiles to the one aircraft type;

(d) receiving the detection data in an evaluation unit;

(e) generating actual feature profiles from the detection data in the evaluation unit; and

(f) comparing the actual feature profiles with the stored profiles, for each of the template sets, to produce an evaluation result.

33. Method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising the step of using trajectories of the actual feature profiles as a basis to determine the present position of the aircraft.

34. Method as claimed in claim 32 wherein in step (d) a sequence of gray tone images is received by the evaluation unit from the video device.

35. Method as claimed in claim 32 wherein step (e) comprises the steps of:

(a) spatial filtering of individual gray tone images of a sequence of gray tone images received by the evaluation unit from the video device;

(b) extracting gray tone edges from the individual gray tone images;

(c) filtering of the sequence of gray tone images in the time domain to produce moving images; and

producing a mask from the moving images to define areas for subsequent segmentation.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising the following steps:

selecting the gate by an operator;

selecting the aircraft type by at least one of a gate operator panel and a control center either manually or automatically;

transmitting status messages to the control center; and

issuing an emergency stop by the operator.

38. The docking guidance system of claim 37,

wherein a respective one of the plurality of stand alone systems that is associated with the respective gate of the airport, at which the aircraft is to be guided to the parking position, is configured to receive guidance data regarding the guidance of the aircraft to the parking position;

wherein the respective one of the plurality of stand alone systems is configured to forward the guidance data to the server of the central working position via the network interface; and

wherein the server of the central working position is configured

to process the guidance data,

to send first control signals responsive to the guidance data to the external airport systems via the interface,

to send second control signals responsive to the guidance data to at least one of the plurality of operator stations via the communications interface,

to process external-airport-systems-data responsive to the first control signals and received from the external airport systems via the interface,

to process operator-station-data responsive to the second control signals and received from the at least one operator station via the communications interface,

to forward third control signals responsive to the external-airport-systems-data to the respective one of the plurality of stand alone systems via the network interface, and

to forward fourth control signals responsive to the operator-station-data to the respective one of the plurality of stand alone systems via the network interface.

40. The docking guidance system of claim 39,

wherein a respective one of the plurality of stand alone systems associated with the respective gate of the airport, at which the aircraft is to be guided to the parking position, is configured to receive guidance data regarding the guidance of the aircraft to the parking position;

wherein the respective one of the plurality of stand alone systems is configured to forward the guidance data to the operator station of the central working position via the network interface; and

wherein the operator station of the central working position is configured

to process the guidance data,

to send first control signals responsive to the guidance data to the external airport systems via the interface,

to process external-airport-systems-data responsive to the first control signals and received from the external airport systems via the interface, and

to forward second control signals responsive to the external-airport-systems-data to the respective one of the plurality of stand alone systems via the network interface.

37. A docking guidance system for guiding an aircraft to a parking position of an airport, comprising:

a server of a central working position;

a plurality of operator stations, which are connected to the server of the central working position via a communications interface, wherein each of the operator stations is configured for a respective terminal of the airport to monitor a guiding process of the aircraft;

a plurality of stand alone systems connected to the server of the central working position via a network interface, wherein each of the stand alone systems is associated with a respective gate of the airport, at which the aircraft is to be guided to the parking position; and

at least one interface to connect the server of the central working position to external airport systems.

39. A docking guidance system for guiding an aircraft to a parking position of an airport, comprising:

an operator station of a central working position;

a plurality of stand alone systems connected to the operator station via a network interface, wherein each stand alone system is associated with a respective gate of the airport, at which the aircraft is to be guided to the parking position; and

at least one interface to connect the operator station to external airport systems.

41. A docking guidance system for guiding an aircraft to a parking position of an airport, comprising a plurality of stand alone systems interconnected via a network, wherein each stand alone system is associated with a respective gate of the airport, at which the aircraft is to be guided to the parking position.

42. The docking guidance system of claim 41, wherein a first stand alone system associated with the respective gate of the airport, at which the aircraft is to be guided to the parking position, is configured to receive data regarding the guidance of the aircraft to the parking position, and wherein the first stand alone system is configured to forward the data, via the network, to a second stand alone system, at which an operator monitors and influences the guidance of the aircraft at the respective gate associated with the first stand alone system.

43. A docking guidance system for guiding an aircraft to a parking position of an airport, comprising:

a central working position for monitoring and controlling the docking guidance system, wherein the central working position comprises;

software to control terminals of the airport;

interfaces to external airport systems;

a network card for communicating with a network of the docking guidance system; and

an uninterruptable power system to ensure an uninterrupted power supply in the central working position; and

a control system for controlling an apron of the airport, wherein the control system is connected to the central working position.

44. The docking guidance system of claim 43,

wherein the software to control the terminals of the airport is configured to receive, via the network card, guidance data from a stand alone system associated with a gate of the airport, at which the aircraft is to be guided to the parking position;

wherein the software to control the terminals of the airport is configured to process the guidance data and to forward first control signals responsive to the guidance data to the control system for controlling the apron of the airport, to at least one operator station, and, via the interfaces, to the external airport systems;

wherein the software to control the terminals of the airport is configured to process second control signals responsive to the first control signals and received from the control system for controlling the apron of the airport, from the at least one operator station, and, via the interfaces, from the external airport systems; and

wherein the software to control the terminals of the airport is configured to forward the second control signals to the stand alone system.

46. The docking guidance system of claim 45, wherein the local operator panel is configured to operate the docking guidance subsystem in response to manual inputs of an operator.

47. The docking guidance system of claim 45, wherein the docking guidance system is configured to be protected by at least one password.

48. The docking guidance system of claim 45, wherein a plurality of operator terminals are connected to the network.

49. The docking guidance system of claim 45, wherein the docking guidance system is configured to grant different authorizations to different users of the docking guidance system.

50. The docking guidance system of claim 45, wherein the docking guidance system is configured to log interactions of system operators with the docking guidance system.

51. The docking guidance system of claim 45, wherein the docking guidance system is configured to print error messages on at least one of an operator screen or an alarm printer.

52. The docking guidance system of claim 45, wherein the docking guidance system is configured to exchange status messages of a selected gate between components of the docking guidance system.

53. The docking guidance system of claim 45, further comprising a control room configured to display live video pictures of the aircraft to be guided to the parking position.

54. The docking guidance system of claim 45, wherein the docking guidance system is configured to automatically start a docking process for the aircraft to be guided to the parking position.

55. The docking guidance system of claim 45, wherein the docking guidance system is configured to automatically test connections of the network to the respective control computer of each docking guidance subsystem.

56. The docking guidance system of claim 45, further comprising a graphical user interface to integrate monitoring and control functions into a software of the docking guidance system for an additional docking guidance subsystem that is associated with an additionally installed gate of the airport.

57. The docking guidance system of claim 45, wherein the docking guidance system is configured to execute test programs for troubleshooting errors in the docking guidance system.

58. The docking guidance system of claim 45, wherein the docking guidance system is configured to receive an “

emergency stop”

signal by an operator of the docking guidance system.

59. The docking guidance system of claim 45, wherein the docking guidance system is configured to receive manual commands by an operator of the docking guidance system in order to start a docking process of the aircraft to be guided to the parking position.

45. A docking guidance system for guiding an aircraft to a parking position of an airport, comprising:

a plurality of docking guidance subsystems, wherein each docking guidance subsystem is associated with a respective gate, at which the aircraft is to be guided to the parking position, each docking guidance subsystem comprising;

a control computer;

a camera connected to the control computer, wherein the camera is configured to recognize a type of the aircraft approaching the gate and to track a current position of the aircraft, and wherein the camera is configured to supply information regarding the type and the current position of the aircraft to the control computer;

a display connected to the control computer, wherein the display is configured to indicate the type of the aircraft and to indicate directional information to a pilot of the aircraft, in response to which the pilot moves the aircraft; and

a local operator panel to operate the docking guidance subsystem;

a network interconnecting the plurality of docking guidance subsystems; and

a central working position connected to the network, wherein the central working position is configured to monitor and to control the docking guidance system.

60. A central working position for monitoring and controlling a docking guidance system for docking aircraft at gates of an airport, comprising a screen having a first screen section, a second screen section, and a third screen section, wherein the first screen section displays a video picture of a respective aircraft approaching a respective gate, wherein the second screen section displays information regarding scheduled occupancies of the gates, and wherein the third screen section displays a schematic overview of an arrangement of the gates of the airport, together with status information of the gates and status information of respective aircraft docked at the gates.

61. An arrangement of systems of an airport, comprising:

a docking guidance system for guiding aircraft to parking positions at gates of the airport;

a time reference system to provide the docking guidance system with date and time information;

an airfield ground lighting system, which provides the docking guidance system with information regarding the status of lighting equipment for an airfield ground of the airport and which receives control signals from the docking guidance system to control the lighting equipment for the airfield ground of the airport;

a user defined gate system to exchange user defined input data and reporting messages regarding a status of the gates with the docking guidance system;

an airport database to provide the docking guidance system with occupancy information of the gates and to receive a time stamp from the docking guidance system in order to associate the occupancy information with time information; and

a central monitoring system to send check requests to the docking guidance system and to receive check results from the docking guidance system in order to monitor an overall operation of the arrangement.